Electric thermal cut-out device.



L. VECCHIO.

ELECTRIC THERMAL CUT-OUT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-9,1916.

.1 ,239,322. Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

W /5 3; I, la n9 i 2% 3 /7 I z x Q mwl 22 35 cordance with the invention.

45 the axis of the bore 11.

LOUIS VECCHIZO. OF ALBANY. NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC THERMAL CUT-OUT DEVICE.

Application filed December 7'0 (/71 w/mm it may concern: Be it known that I, Louis Vnccnio, a subject of the King of Italy. residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinveutcd new and useful l nr pro'vcments in Electric Thermal Cut-Out Devices. of which the following is a spccification.

This invention is an improved thermal cut out plug for electric circuits.

One of "theobjects of the invention is to providca plug of this type which is simple in construction and inexpensive to cost, and in which the thermal fuse element may be readily and quickly replaced after being ruptured. A further object is to provide a plug of the character referred to in which the parts are held against accidental displacement, but are so arranged that they may be readily separated or assembled, as

occasion may demand. A further object is to provide a plug made up of a plurality or *"parts, any one of which may be'readily replaced should they become damaged, or unlit for use for any reason. A further object is to provide a thermal element of simple con-' struction, capable of being placed in position as a unitary element.

Ihe invention will be hereinafter fully 0 set "forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

in the accoiu iianying drawingt Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a thermal cut out plug constructed in ac- Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view illustrating the thermal element.

Referring to the drawing", 10 designates a plug body of insulating material, provided with a central bore ll leadinglongitudin'ally therethrough. said bore being open one end, and. closed at the other end by suitable end wall having'a relatively small opening" 12, extending therethrough in line with Said body 10 is preferably of somewhat tapered form, and is provided with longitudinally disposed peripheral recesses 13. Surrounding the plug body 10 is a screw shell 14, having one end flanged over, as indicated at 15. to engage with the bore 11, and also with the recesses 13. The shell 14 is provided with internal contacts 18 which are soldered to s rin 7 L1 Specification of Letters Patent.

isle.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917..

Serial No. 136.009.

arms 19, attached to the cap 16, in suitable manner. Said arms are preferably formed 01" a strip of sheet metal bent into approximate U-shapc, the arms being passed through holes 20 fori'ned in the head, as will be readily understood from the drawin The b ad 16 is also provided with a contactplate Qil, having its ends extended into the holes 20, said plate extending diametrically across the chamber 17. The ends of the contact plate 21 are in engagement with the arms 19. The closed end of the head 18 fits snugly into a correspondingly shaped recess 22, termed in a cap 23, of any desired. shape, maintaining a close frictional engagement with theside wall of said. recess.-

The thermal element comprises a fusible wire '24 attached at one end to a button 25, preferably of sheet metal, and provided with prongs 26, capa le. of being forced into the end of the-pin 10, to prevent displacement of the wire.

In practice the body 10.. head 16. and shell ill are assembled, as illustrated in Fig. l, and held together by the solderin of ar1ns19 to contact 18. When it is de'sired to use the plug, the thermal wire 2-1 is passed through the opening 152 until it contacts with the plate 21. Said wire 24 is of such length that whenthc button rests against the end of the plug 10, with the spurs .26 embedded within the iaterial of whichthe plug is formed, the other end of the wire is firmly pressed against the plate 21, with sullicient force to establish a good electrical contact therewith. Vi henthe thermal. element is in position, the button 25 serres as the center contact for the plug, and. the shell contact 1% is placed in circuit therewith through the medium of the plate .2 1 the arms 19. which latter eng'o the projections 18. Should the fuse blow out, the wire 2% is ruptured. and in order to replace the same the entire plug is unscre ed from its soclret, a tter which the butter 25 is pried away from the plug; 10, and a new thermal element 24 and button 25 substituted by Jassing the new wire- 24 through the opening 12, until it engages the plate 21, the button 25 being pressed into position, as heretofore described. The plug is then returnedto its socket. Thus it will be seen that the fuse elements may be readily and quicirly replaced withont disassembling the supporting elements of the plus, and that the prongs will hold the same against accidental displug become damaged, the parts, of the plug may be readily separated, by breaking the soldered attachment between projections 18 and arms 19, thereby permitting removal of the shell. Should it be desired to remove the arms 19 or contact plate 21, the cap 23 is pulled off the head 16, exposing the end; of said head and the parts thereon. In this way a new part may be substituted tor any old one which has become damaged or inca able of use.

.aving thus explained the nature of the invention, and described an operative manner of constructing and'using the although Without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, the following is claimed l. A thermal cutout plug comprising a plug body of insulating material provided at one end with an internal contact plate, a screw shell in circuit with said contact plate, and a removable'fusible element havingone end in engagement with the contact plate and provided at its other end with an external attaching device engaging the other end of said plug. I

2. A thermal cutout plug comprising a plug body of insulating material provided with a central bore, a contact plate located in said body opposite one end of ,bore, a shell contact in circuit with said plate, a fuse Wire provided at one end with an external button engaging'said plug, saidiuse wire bein extended through said bore ing its other-end abutting against tact plate.

, 3. A thermal cutout plug comprising a plug bod-yof insulating material provided with a bore, a contact plate positioned opposits one end of said bore, a shell contact in circuit with said contact plate, and a thermal wire extending longitudinally through bore and having one end abutting said contact plate, the other end of said wire being provided with a button having portions removably embedded within said plug body.-

4. In a thermal cut out device, a thermal element comprising a wire provided with a button at one end having prongs shaped to be rcmovably embedded in a body of insulating material.

'2 i assesses 5. A. thermal cut out plug comprising a plug body of insulating material provided with a longitudinal bore, a head of insulating material provided with a contact plate positioned opposite said bore, a shell in circuit with said contact plate andengaging the plug body and the head, and a removable ing material provided with a chamber communicating with said bore, a contact plate attached to said head and located within said chamber, a screw shell in circuit with said contact plate, and a fuse wire extending longitudinally through the bore of said plug and having onecnd abutting against said contact plate, the other end of said wire be ing provided with an exposed contact.

7. A thermal cut out plug comprising a plug body of insulating material provided with a longitudinal bore, a head of insulating material having a contact plate positioned opposite said bore, a screw shell in circuit with said contact plate, a removable fuse wire having one end abutting against said ontact plate, and a contact attached to the other end of said Wire'and provided with means for removably engaging the ex:

teri-or of said plug body, said Wire extending through said ore.

8. A thermal cut out plug comprising a plug body of insulatingmatcrial provided with a longitudinal bore, a head provided with a contact plate positioned opposite said bore, a screw shell surrounding. said plug and said head, spring arms attached to the head and in circuit with said contact plate, means carried by said shell for engaging said spring arms, and a removable fuse wire having one end abutting against said contact plate and provided at the other end with means for engaging said plug body, said wire extending longitudinally through said bore.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LOUIS VECCHIO. 

